@LarryDavis: Yeah, I hope so. It did seem like one of the plots (The one to the top-left) might have been bigger. I just know that if they're rendering EVERYTHING in a city (Which is HUGE, and obviously Simcity 4 could have never did) to preserve performance they might be making plots smaller.

As much as I want this game, there are far too many glaring problems keeping me from purchasing it. Hands-down the biggest thing keeping me from getting this game is forced-online and forced-cloud saves. This means none of your cities will actually be on your own computer, and far more importantly, you cannot even re-load incase you make any mistakes, purposely cause disasters, or even want to test something and revert back to a previous state. Whatever you do is perminent; you're forced to live with the consequences. Kinda defeats the purpose of playing a Simcity game IMO.

And as highly popular as multiplayer is in most games these days, very few Simcity players are clamoring for it, especially since we don't get a choice. I don't think I could ever imagine Simity being anything other than a solo experience. I'd much prefer having a region of multiple towns looking and acting just as I see fit. Being forced to rely on other players also doesn't appeal to me at all. Not to mention you'll very likely be forced to use EA's horrifying "Origin" service whenever you're playing.

As mentioned above, small city size is also a concern of mine. I understand if many computers can't handle a very large city with this engine, but at least give the option. Also, for some reason you can no longer do most forms of terraforming (aka edit the land how ever you see fit). If they can manage to come to their senses and remedy many of these issues, this game will sell FAR better. But sadly I wouldn't count on it, and it's frustrating to see what they're doing with this franchise.

As much as I want this game, there are far too many glaring problems keeping me from purchasing it. Hands-down the biggest thing keeping me from getting this game is forced-online and forced-cloud saves. This means none of your cities will actually be on your own computer, and far more importantly, you cannot even re-load incase you make any mistakes, purposely cause disasters, or even want to test something and revert back to a previous state. Whatever you do is perminent; you're forced to live with the consequences. Kinda defeats the purpose of playing a Simcity game IMO.

And as highly popular as multiplayer is in most games these days, very few Simcity players are clamoring for it, especially since we don't get a choice. I don't think I could ever imagine Simity being anything other than a solo experience. I'd much prefer having a region of multiple towns looking and acting just as I see fit. Being forced to rely on other players also doesn't appeal to me at all. Not to mention you'll very likely be forced to use EA's horrifying "Origin" service whenever you're playing.

As mentioned above, small city size is also a concern of mine. I understand if many computers can't handle a very large city with this engine, but at least give the option. Also, for some reason you can no longer do most forms of terraforming (aka edit the land how ever you see fit). If they can manage to come to their senses and remedy many of these issues, this game will sell FAR better. But sadly I wouldn't count on it, and it's frustrating to see what they're doing with this franchise.

I've been addicted to SimCity Social on Facebook, just waiting for this game to come out. While @paulwade1984 pointed out plenty of issues with the game, what is presented is still a hell of a lot better than what we've been handed over the past few years, and I'm more than excited for it. I'm just debating on whether I wanna get it immediately or wait until an eventual sale price hits.

I'm pleased to see that EA hasn't dumbed the game down. Earning stuff through actually building a successful core model, THEN get to cooler stuff. Too many games are blowing their load because they're afraid players will get bored and lose interest. SimCity would be an easy target for EA to do exactly that. Props, so far.

As much as I want this game, there are far too many glaring problems keeping me from purchasing it. Hands-down the biggest thing keeping me from getting this game is forced-online and forced-cloud saves. This means none of your cities will actually be on your own computer, and far more importantly, you cannot even re-load incase you make any mistakes, purposely cause disasters, or even want to test something and revert back to a previous state. Whatever you do is perminent; you're forced to live with the consequences. Kinda defeats the purpose of playing a Simcity game IMO.

And as highly popular as multiplayer is in most games these days, very few Simcity players are clamoring for it, especially since we don't get a choice. I don't think I could ever imagine Simity being anything other than a solo experience. I'd much prefer having a region of multiple towns looking and acting just as I see fit. Being forced to rely on other players also doesn't appeal to me at all. Not to mention you'll very likely be forced to use EA's horrifying "Origin" service whenever you're playing.

As mentioned above, small city size is also a concern of mine. I understand if many computers can't handle a very large city with this engine, but at least give the option. Also, for some reason you can no longer do most forms of terraforming (aka edit the land how ever you see fit). If they can manage to come to their senses and remedy many of these issues, this game will sell FAR better. But sadly I wouldn't count on it, and it's frustrating to see what they're doing with this franchise.

I think any complaints against Origin are unfounded - the UI is better than Steam's in some ways and,as a service, it's totally functional. I don't get the hate at all.

That being said, I had no idea about the cloud-save/persistent online features until you mentioned it. That's crazy and potentially a huge deal breaker. It changes how you play Sim City in so many ways and limits your ability to fool around - especially if the terraforming is also gone.

Uniting the water, power and roads into one network is excellent. I remember in SimCity 2000 how confusing it was to lay a pipe network underneath the road network. I'm still glad you have to worry about water and power, but this little simplification is one I like.

Got to say, this video sold me on SimCity. I am now officially excited for it.

I think one of the best ideas in this game is the fact that water/power/sewage just go along the road ways, it just streamlines something you would have to do anyways. That said, I cringed a lot watching this game, sure it looks great but the scale seemed really limiting. The plots were huge and and each building took up a lot of room compared to the amount of land, it doesnt seem like you can build a truly massive metropolis like in previous SC games. I am also worried about complexity, I am all for needless actions and extra button clicks to be streamlined, but I dont want them to water down the amount of statistics, details, zones, taxes, policies, overlays.... etc. The details are what has kept me playing SC4 for almost a decade. I am just worried that this game might turn out like Civ V did for me, a very pretty but much more simplified game

I was really starting to get a little worried until that beautiful 90 degree angle turned up at the end of the industrial zone. Hopefully it's as easy as a button click. Games that basically only let me build wonky roads unless I spend literally hours carefully eyeballing each new addition for how to get straight roads and perfect corners are really not for me :(.

So, roads are the avenues whereby water, electricity, and sewage flow, but it's a bad thing if sewage gets into your water supply? Hmm. Seems like a recipe for disaster. Why are roads the magic bullet for EVERYTHING?

EA, please, please please for the love of God, don't mess this one up.

You probably will anyway.

I want to believe it will be good too, but I'm just waiting for them to pull the curtain back and reveal their true intentions with this. The Sims 3 was barely more than a "free-to-play" game that was priced at 60 dollars up front (day one micro-transactions up the wazoo). With Maxis barely an entity of its own anymore, I'm kinda expecting the same thing to happen here.

They're already doing the "digital delux" version thing for this, just like ME3. So it will cost 80 dollars on release to get all the content. That alone is enough to kill my interest.

So, roads are the avenues whereby water, electricity, and sewage flow, but it's a bad thing if sewage gets into your water supply? Hmm. Seems like a recipe for disaster. Why are roads the magic bullet for EVERYTHING?

Because in reality all those systems flow under roads. Even in older Sim City games, most people followed their roads for laying pipe. That's right, I said "laying pipe".

Almost everything is connected by a road anyway so there is no reason to have the game mechanic of manually placing pipes or sewage systems. I know this is a game, but it is still a simulation. You wouldn't build water pumps and not connect some sort of access road to them.